The Sparrow In The Midst
by Black-Orchid 17
Summary: Hermione Granger and Severus Snape both find love upon their return to Hogwarts. Summary sucks but read the story you might like it. R&R please! Rated T for later content.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey guys this is my second attempt at a fanfic and I'm hoping it will be great but no promises . I'm writing this as I go along and have no idea what I'm going to be writing about so if you have any ideas please let me know. So, enough rambling and on with the story.

Oh, also I must say that I am not the creator of Harry Potter or any of the characters from the series…I only own this story and the characters that I created

…

Looking up, Hermione Granger tried to stop the tears from flowing. This was not how she envisioned her break-up with Ron but here it was. His whole family surrounded them and Hermione felt utterly alone.

"Please listen to me Hermione, What you think you saw-"

"No you listen to me Ronald Weasley!" Hermione, who had finally found her voice, interrupted "Don't ever tell me what I've seen or haven't seen." Hermione rose up out of her chair and flung it at her ex boyfriend. He shattered it with a spell and looked up in time to see the tail of her coat fluttering with the breeze as she disapperated.

She'd gone to the only place she felt safe, her parents house. To muggles it appeared to be an old vacant office building but in all actuality it was charmed by one of the most talented witches that the world had ever known, and in there she sat crying_ and thinking_.

_The nerve of that man, to think that he could make her believe that she had not seen him in that unflattering position with one of the muggle men from town! _

She finally regained her composure and decided that she needed to talk to her best friend, Harry, the only person who could console and relate to her now. Disapperating to Hogsmeade Hermione arrived and hurried to the newly constructed home on one of the hills and knocked on the door. She heard footsteps approaching the door and stepped back just as the door was flung open by her best friend Harry Potter.

"Hermione," Harry beamed, "what's going on?" he asked as he caught sight of her tear-stained face, his smile leaving as fast as it had come. Hermione said nothing but instead rushed into Harry's open arms and sobbed. After a few moments she was able to speak coherently and explained the whole story to Harry.

"How DARE he!" exclaimed Harry. What kind of man had Ron turned into? Harry felt helpless, so far in his experience the two worst members of the Weasley clan were two of the people he trusted most. First Ginny cheated on him with an old flame Dean Thomas and then Ron cheating on Hermione with a muggle man, what happened to those Weasley family values that they all claimed to hold true?

"Wow Hermione, I really don't know what to say but you know you can stay here since you and Ron used to live together. Unless you want the house because I'll help you fight him for it." Harry said with a slight grimace.

"No Harry its fine, I couldn't imagine sleeping in that bed…not now that I know-"and she broke of not speaking of what caused her such grief. Harry went and made them both a cup of tea and they spent the rest of the night reminiscing on the past.

When she woke up the next morning she turned over and saw the back of Harry's messy black haired head, and was grateful that she had a friend like him. She got up and decided to make breakfast for the both of them. Walking into the kitchen Hermione realized Harry for just what he was, a man. The kitchen was a mess and it took her a good 10 minutes, even with magic, to clean the mess and she had just enough time to fix breakfast before Harry woke up.

…

Severus Snape was the most controversial man in Hogwarts history. For one people were confused about how to feel about him. Should he be loved like Harry or feared and shunned like Voldemort? He just wished everybody would leave him alone. The only place that he could rest in peace (no pun intended) was Hogwarts.

After the war he was believed to be dead but that was just the world underestimating him again, in the first year that he had taught Harry, Ron, and Hermione he told them that he could teach them to stop death. So why did they not think to check and see if he was really dead? He didn't ponder it for long because that was the least of his worries right now, no he had to hand out as many detentions as possible to these horrible Gryffindor first years. He had to instill the fear in them while they were young. After Minerva McGonagall found him in the shrieking shack she'd taken him to St. Mungo's and helped him back to health. She then allowed him to come back to Hogwarts to teach and he had even gotten to become Head of Slytherin house again.

Instead of having to worry about saying the wrong thing to someone who would kill him without the slightest hesitation, now all he had to worry about was the new Gryffindor Head of House a very pretty witch by the name of Annalise Nevaro. He didn't know how much of his past that she knew but she always seemed friendly enough towards him, always smiling and waving when they passed each other in the corridors. No. He was not looking for anyone in that way. He was better off alone, that's how it always had been and how it would always be.

…

A/N: Please review it will really make my day and tell me what you like or don't like and tell me your ideas, I will also update more than once a week if people actually like and review this story. Thanks!


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hey Guys this would be chapter two of Sparrow In The Midst and I'm super happy to be writing this although I didn't see many reviews as of now but hey I'll continue S.I.T.M even if only one person likes it. Read and Review please.**

…

"Breakfast was great Hermione." Harry said nodding his approval of his own statement. They had just finished eating and had a little time to chat before Harry had to go off to work. He now had his own newspaper. The Daily Prophet was now basically a full gossip column, and Harry, who had stopped reading the prophet long ago, saw that this was a moment to capitalize upon. When everyone saw his first publication they all scoffed, it was a bit of a downgrade for famous Harry Potter.

"So um Harry," Hermione asked tentatively, "is there anything I can do for you while you're gone?" Harry looked up at his best friend with a puzzled look on his face. Then it happened, Hermione burst into loud tearful sobs that shook her body and the table that she was leaning on.

"Hermione what the hell," Harry yelled "what's wrong, what did I do?" Alarmed Harry rushed over to the other side of the table and wrapped his arms around her and waited for the tears to subside.

Hermione knew it was stupid of her to even think about the differences between Harry and Ron. Hadn't they from day one proved how truly different they were from each other? Ron was always mean and rude whereas Harry wasn't. So when Harry complemented her on her cooking she couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Two years of living with Ron and he had never even thanked her for a meal and if she even slightly burned the food he would throw it all over the room.

Finally the crying stopped and Hermione was able to speak. "I'm sorry Harry; it's just that now I realize that Ron and I were never meant to be." Hermione grimaced and went on, "Since day one I've been making excuses for that prat and it did nothing but ruin my life." Harry looked down in Hermione's once again tear filled eyes and smiled."We all did Hermione, we all did."

…

Finally it was dinner time. The Great Hall smelled wonderful and even Severus Snape could appreciate the beauty of good food. Walking between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables he could hear the murmurs of the first years recounting the number of points he had taken from them to the older students. Smiling slightly he made his way up to his seat , and was surprised to see that the one that Professor Sprout often sat in was occupied by none other than Professor Annalise Nevaro.

She smiled at him and said in her melodic voice, "Good evening Severus." He growled in reply and took his seat watching as she turned her head and began waving at some of her favorite students. _Something is truly wrong with this woman, _he thought to himself. _ Yet she seems to be loved by all… all but me that is. _And with a small smirk he pushed Annalise out of his mind and began to eat his dinner.

…

All she wanted to do was be nice to him and show him that could indeed have a friend at Hogwarts. She knew that it was a big risk befriending Severus but she had been raised to believe that there was some good in all people. When he walked into the Great Hall he seemed happy almost cheerful, he even smiled a little. She was happy that Pomona Sprout switched seats with her, so when he reached his seat and looked at her she was certain that this would be the moment to break through his hard shell.

Smiling at him she said, "Good evening Severus." He looked at her as if she was some disgusting creature that he wanted to squash, and then he did the most peculiar thing. He growled at her, it was one of the oddest moments of her life and she'd had a lot of crazy things happen to her but she had never been growled at. Her smile faltered and to avoid crying she looked away. _He is so mean_ she thought to herself, _it doesn't matter Anna there is always tomorrow night_. And with the promise of tomorrow night on her mind she smiled and began to eat her dinner.

…

**A/N: It was shorter this time but I had a long hard day so I promise to make it up to you tomorrow **** Please review so that I can figure out if you like (or don't) this story I would really appreciate it and thanks in advance to those who will review.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey my internet was totally messing up so I'm behind on my updates but the good news for you is I wrote a lot so I'll upload maybe 2 more tomorrow **

…

It was the second night that she'd slept in her best friend's bed but it seemed like she had been doing it for years. She now knew how he slept, what to listen for in his breathing, and that he liked to hog the covers. Hermione didn't understand the feelings she was having and she found that she began to have the what if's. When she lay down to bed that night she began to think about what it would be like if she had never fell in love with Ron. _What if it had been Harry instead? Maybe we would have kids by now; would he love me like he loved Ginny? Would he… wait a minute Hermione what the hell are you thinking?! _ Shaking her head a little she pulled out of her thoughts, chasing them away for the time being.

The night passed with little interruption and Hermione had fallen asleep shortly after ten p.m. She should have known that things wouldn't stay peachy forever. When Hermione woke up she walked into the kitchen and was greeted by Harry's patronus in Harry's voice it informed her that he had been called in to meet the Minister of Magic and wouldn't be back until lunch time. Hermione shrugged and proceeded to the fridge to whip up something to eat the old fashioned way since she had left her wand on the bedside table. She was almost done making her toast when the brass owl on the mantel informed her that someone was coming.

"Damn it!" she exclaimed grabbing the hot pan out of the oven and slamming it down on the stove. Sucking her burnt fingers she went and pulled the door open. Standing on the threshold was Ronald Weasley, the last person that she had ever wanted to see.

…

Severus hadn't slept well. Although he was over Lily Potter and she was nothing but an old friend to him, sometimes she still haunted his dreams. It was never anything bad but it was aggravating especially when he had to get up to deal with every idiot that passed through his classroom door the next day. Last night's dream was especially puzzling, not only was Lily in it but Annalise Nevaro was as well! In the dream Annalise was sitting in her office sobbing, just like his mother had every time his father had beaten her. When Severus approached Annalise to see if he could shut her up she quickly turned into Lily Potter and cried out to him to save her from her heartache.

These dreams were so disturbing that he had made it up in his mind to whip up a potion for a dreamless sleep. He wanted it to end but still as he walked towards the Great Hall he couldn't help but think. _What exactly is the heartache that Annalise is facing? _The sight that he came to face when he reached his seat was one that he never expected. Annalise was in her now normal chair beside him and even though she had tried to hide it he could see that her eyes were extremely swollen from obvious crying.

…

Nobody could ever know about her past. That was the code that Annalise had lived by for most of her life. Nothing had ever been easy for her and she couldn't let her past ruin her, she had to stay strong and if anyone knew what she was battling she would be sent off from Hogwarts to get help. She hadn't slept at all last night; in fact she'd stayed up the whole night sobbing. She had just received a letter from her father saying that her mother had died and that she was to never return to their home again, not even for the funeral. Annalises' father was a muggle and he hated everything to do with magic, the only reason he stayed was because of his love for her mother and her brothers and sisters who were what he called behind her mother's back normal. He raised her sisters and brothers to despise magic and to despise her. She was an emotional time bomb anytime something happened she held her emotions in until it became unbearable.

Although her father hated her he loved to violate her and Annalise had never let another man get close to her until she met her close friend Donald. She was madly in love with him and he seemed to love her, they were inseparable for years and even planned to be married until one night that Annalise walked in on Donald and her normal sister and it was over. Annalise had no family and no friends, the only people that she had were the people of Hogwarts and that was something that she couldn't afford to lose.

…

**A/N: I'm thinking about splitting the chapters up to focus on one person only like say the next chapter would be about Hermione and the one after that would be about Snape and so on. Let me know what you think **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Hey sorry I didn't update sooner it has been a really crappy weekend. So anyway here it is.**

…

"Ron what the hell are you doing here?" asked a stunned Hermione angrily. Ron was seriously unwelcomed here in her book but he took her by surprise turning up. Behind her she heard Harry floo in and instantly she felt at ease.

"Hello Hermione" Ron replied as if she hadn't said anything. Hermione heard Harry swear loudly and he was soon behind Hermione glaring at Ron.

"You have five seconds to get off of our property-"Harry began before Ron cut him off looking fierce. "_Our_ property, what the hell my best mate and my girlfriend sneaking around my back?!

Harry stepped back as Hermione seemed to swell at Ron's words. Ron quickly drew his wand and looked warily at Harry.

"_Girlfriend_!" Hermione exclaimed. "Are you out of your bloody mind?!" She drew her wand and pointed it right between Ron's eyes. Ron spun on the spot and disapperated before Hermione had the chance to hex him. She spun around giving Harry a death glare but softening when she saw his face. He had a look of sheer innocence and amusement and after seeing him down for so long it erased what had happened less than two minutes ago. She had the overwhelming urge to kiss him but held back for fear of ruining their friendship.

"Wow Hermione, you really gave it to him huh." Harry stated with a huge grin but upon seeing Hermione's tear stained face he opened his arms and once again allowed her to fall into him for what wouldn't be the last time.

…

He was curious but he couldn't show that he was interested in anything about her. _I should probably try a subtle approach to get her to open up, that way she won't think I care about her. _"So Professor Nevaro did you sleep well?" Severus asked looking at her for the briefest of moments. He could see that he had startled her by asking but her response was what startled him. It wasn't the response in itself; it was that she wouldn't shut up. "Oh…call me Annalise please, and I didn't sleep well, in fact last night was one of the worst I've had…" _Merlin this woman can talk and talk and talk._ As Annalise went on her face seemed to brighten up and thank goodness, just as she was about to do a full biography, the Headmistress stood to announce that Hogwarts would be giving a ball to honor the hero's of the war. Severus audibly groaned making Annalise look towards him with curious eyes.

_This could not be good. The last two things that he wanted were going to be at Hogwarts on the same day, and it was compulsory for him to attend, publicity was very much unwelcome in his book and of course famous Potter would be there and he definitely didn't want to see him for as long as he lived. It was bad enough after the war, what with everybody apologizing and asking how he was so brave. Couldn't the fools see that bravery had absolutely nothing to do with it?!_ These were the thoughts that made him groan and he regretted doing it almost instantly when he saw the curiosity of one Annalise Nevaro.

…

He could be so nice at times and then his mood could change in the blink of an eye but he was mostly nice this morning at breakfast. He actually asked her if she'd slept well. She wasn't an open person, her past had taught her to keep things to herself but when he'd asked it all came out. When it did come out she felt a little better and was able to smile. He was so easy to talk to! Then the Headmistress stood up and announced the ball and her problems were instantly dissolved. She loved to dance and she loved music. Then what she heard next shocked her. Severus Snape had just groaned at the news that she had thought was so great. _I wonder what his problem is. Maybe he is scared that no one will dance with him or maybe he's worried about meeting Potter face to face for the first time in years. _She knew his history but it made no difference to her what he had done or hadn't done. What mattered was the man he was now. She made it her mission to make sure he had fun at the ball, and at that thought she smiled and finished her breakfast all of her problems forgotten.

…

**A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner but the weekends are hectic for me Anyway I hope you liked it and I'm trying to move the story along so if you have any suggestions let me know. Thanks for reading**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Sorry for the long pause I've had some personal issues going on that I needed to take care of… but now I'm back so let's get started **

…

It felt different for Harry to experience Hermione in this way. Sure he'd been a shoulder for her to cry on since they'd been just 12 years old but now something was different. Stroking Hermione's hair he guided her over to the small loveseat and sat her down. He then went and got her a cup of tea.

"Thanks Harry" she said managing a small watery smile, "you really are a great friend." Harry just nodded and stared off into space, watching what had happened less than 5 minutes ago in his head. Not only did he see what had happened but he also saw the countless other times that Hermione had run to him over problems with Ron.

"You know what Hermione," Harry stated looking at her startled face, "you deserve so much better than Ron, all the stuff you've taken off of him is over now!" Harry was now shaking and red in the face.

The outburst shocked Hermione and she sat there stunned, after a few seconds of complete silence, Hermione sent her cup flying into the kitchen and grasped Harry's hand.

"Thanks Harry, you're the absolute best." She stated giving her most Hermione-ish smile.

It was all too much for Harry and he grabbed her up and sung her around in the small kitchen in a bone-crushing hug. If anyone happened to look into the window at the moment they'd have thought that the two had become engaged and were to be married, and that was exactly how it felt to Hermione at the moment.

…

He did not like going to large get-togethers and balls were no exception. Everybody always dressed up and women fawned over dresses and what not. It was totally out of his comfort zone to attend these things. Also on the invitation said that people should bring dates. If he did have a date he would be the subject of gossip everywhere, if he didn't have a date the same would apply. In his eyes it was a lose-lose situation.

Groaning he looked at the clock on the wall it was five past ten and he still hadn't decided what to do regarding the ball. The sound of someone flooing in made his head turn and to no surprise the Headmistress was standing there brushing soot off of her robes.

"Severus I hope you know that you are going to that ball." Minerva stated firmly.

Severus only sneered.

…

She loved going to balls! Everything from the dresses to the dancing excited her. It was always exciting to see what everyone was wearing and who had come with who but what she really loved was being with the people that she liked. Then an idea popped into her head. She would invite Severus, then he would be happy!

…

**I'm sorry guys for the delay I really am! Since I'm about to be done with school I'll update much more regularly I promise **** Thanks for sticking with me!**


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